The invention relates generally to an illuminated display device and a method for providing materials for displaying images thereon.
It is well-known to provide an illuminated display device of the type where an image is etched into a clear (light transmitting) medium such as glass or acrylic and the medium is held by a base which contains a light source. In these well-known displays, an edge of the clear medium rests on or near the light source, and light emitted from the light source propagates up and through the clear medium. A percentage of this light travels completely through the medium and escapes out of certain surfaces of the medium, for instance, the top of the medium. This light is barely visible to a viewer looking at the image face of the medium. Another percentage of the light, however, contacts the etchings engraved in the medium and is refracted and/or diffused so that some of such light appears brightly to a viewer. The effect of such diffused and/or refracted light is to highlight the etchings of the etched image with beautiful results. Such etchings, however, are relatively expensive and time-consuming to produce, particularly when representing complicated and detailed images.
The present invention provides a display device and method for providing display images therefor which is relatively inexpensive and which highlights areas of an original image similarly to an etching, thus curing the above problems and others.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing an image for display by an illuminated display device is provided. The method includes the steps of converting the image into a halftone, inverting the halftone, producing a film positive, producing a silk screen and silk screening the silk screen onto a medium.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing an image for display by an illuminated display device is provided. The method includes the steps of converting the image into a halftone by use of a graphics program, inverting the halftone by use of a graphics program, adjusting at least one graphical property of the halftone by use of a graphics program, producing a film positive, producing a silk screen and silk screening the silk screen onto a medium.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a display device for displaying a representation of a black and white image is provided. The display device includes a base, an illumination source and an image-bearing medium.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing a color image for display by an illuminated display device is provided. The method includes the steps of converting the image into a CMYK file, converting the K channel of the CMYK file into a halftone, inverting the halftone, producing film positives of the image channels, producing silk screens and silk screening the silk screens onto a medium.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing a color image for display by an illuminated display device is provided. The method includes the steps of converting the image into a multi-channel file, creating an all-white image, producing film positives of the image channels and the all-white image, producing silk screens and silk screening the silk screens onto a medium.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing highlighted display of an image on a transparency by an illuminated display device is provided.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing highlighted display of an image is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a template for formatting the image, creating a transparency of the formatted image, providing a background-bearing medium with an all-white image affixed thereto, and placing the transparency in front of the medium.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a system for providing highlighted display of an image is provided.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, an illuminated display device for displaying an image is provided. The device includes a background-bearing medium, a transparency, an illumination source and a medium retention means.
An advantage of the present invention is that a reproduction of an original image may be displayed upon an illuminated display device rather inexpensively while providing highlights of white or partially white areas of the image. Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.